I have been in the business for 7 years and nothing makes me mad except those other LCO that come in and extremely under bid a job.

I gave a bid the other day for leaf removal, I estimated it to be about $200.00. It would have taken me 2 hours.

Another guy I know came in and said that he charges $70.00/hour.

For some reason they thought that I was trying to cheat them!!

This guy got the job and showed up the next day with a push mower and a rake. He turned it into a 5 hour job. Thats $350.00, he made out like a bandit. The bad thing is he left leaves along the fence.

To bad there cannot be a union to set prices.

justmjc

10-30-2003, 08:52 PM

I always explain to my potential customers that it's in there best interest to get a quote by the job and not by the hour. Then I base my quote off of how many hours it takes me plus maybe 1 more for errors sake and multiply it by my target rate per hour. For your two hour job I would have quoted $90-135 more to the $135. Maybe a little extra for hauling away. Different areas demand different prices, but I think you overbid yourself in my neck of the woods.

lawnman_scott

10-30-2003, 08:59 PM

So how did he underbid you? and how did you get your customers 7 years ago? Your experience? no you had none, maybe you underbid someone?

justmjc

10-30-2003, 09:04 PM

I think that if you would have explained to them that it was in their best interest to get quotes based upon the job, else things like this happens. So you and the facility both lost in this situation. How unfortunate.

Ryan Lightning

10-30-2003, 09:17 PM

I dont see why anyone charging $100 a hour would quote that. You should be able to guess how long it will and just give a price, so they dont knwo you are charging a $100 a hour. If you are off a hour are 2, you will still be making alot!
Also, I drag a little when charging by the hour, and bust my butt when i get the same $$$ no matter haw long it takes.

mower_babe

10-31-2003, 01:39 AM

ryan, with all due respect...do you really think that the customers don't notice that you are draggin it out? I am hard to amaze, but you have done it. I just cannot believe that you admit it. wow.

Rustic Goat

10-31-2003, 02:02 AM

reconthree, I'm just being curious, Exactly how is it that you know the total that this homeowner was charged? Did you sit on the porch for 5 hours and wait for him to finish? Were you looking over their shoulder when they wrote the check? Did your competition tell you that's what he made?
If you knew he made $70/hr somewhere else, doesn't mean he makes that on every job.

Just how were you underbid on this job?

Ryan Lightning

10-31-2003, 02:40 AM

mower_babe, I didnt say I drag the job out, to collect more money. I said(are ment) I drag compaired to when Im paid by the job. If Im charging by the hour, I will work normal, and get the job done. But if I tell the customer $200 for a job, I bust it out and kick it in high gear so I can go home. I almost always make more money if I give a price, I hate to work by the hour, and only do so for sprinkler repairs, because of the unknown. And Im really to the point where, I will start qouting a price for sprinkler work.
I just cant beleive a $100 a hour would not give you enough flexiblity to just qoute a price.

parboy

10-31-2003, 07:11 AM

did you say union!?!?

reconthree

10-31-2003, 08:37 AM

My father-in-law lives right next door to the guy.

We built an addition on his house this summer.

I went to school with his daughters.

Does that answer your question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This guy is a nut bag, he agrees to things and then bitches about then to everyone.

That is how I know how much it cost.

KerryB

10-31-2003, 09:03 AM

Did someone say a dirty word? Union?

justmjc

10-31-2003, 04:12 PM

Union? So you mean highly paid to produce little work. And if your manager complains about you, you file a grievance and your in the clear. Then you can go and find a place in the corner to sleep and continue to collect your paycheck. LOL

Sorry, I work in the automotive work and deal with these poor work ethics each day. My father-in-law is a union skilled trades and he tells some amazing stories. Not all are members slack but a good number do.

Our running joke is when my brother in law, my father in law, and I get together and decide that we want to start a project, we ask how is it going to get done? I tell them it won't, because my brother in law and I will supervise and my father in law is union. Not funny but it fits the story.

mower_babe

10-31-2003, 11:52 PM

Ryan, do we have the word "stupid" tatooed on our foreheads? Who are you kidding? Please get your story straight. You are a complete contradiction. COME ON! :rolleyes: why else would you "drag", your words, a job out that you are getting paid hourly for? Don't patronize us by feeding us a line of "caca". You drag out an hourly billed job - strictly by definition- because you will get more money than you should.

Sorry to pollute this thread, but what a load. :rolleyes:

hustler1

10-31-2003, 11:59 PM

Now lets look at this...you bid $100 per hour for whats basically a nonskilled job (with no degree required).....a guy comes in and bids for less but tricks the customer into taking longer to do the job and the customer loses and the new LCO makes out. So whats wrong with bidding the job at maximum rate for the whole job (say $250 for example) just to cover your butt in case someone else comes in and does this...and emphasizing to the customer that many competitors will not make such a promise and thereby exceed your total maximum charge. Its a great way to make that customer keep your phone number around for next year if nothing else....customers are pretty good at remembering who burned them vs who tried to help them out..... just my 2cents......

justmjc

11-01-2003, 12:03 AM

I wouldn't get any jobs if I bid by the hour. Try selling the per hour price tag to a 2 acre residential account. Sure I'll bring my push mower, my pair of scissors for triming, a knife for edging, and my broom for clean-up. Why don't we make a week of it and try to collect that bill?

But Mr Homeowner, you did agree to the per hour rate. Don't you see the savings?

the scaper

11-01-2003, 12:24 AM

Originally posted by parboy
did you say union!?!? i thought he said socialist commy but mabey he did say union.:eek:

Ryan Lightning

11-01-2003, 12:27 AM

Originally posted by mower_babe
Ryan, do we have the word "stupid" tatooed on our foreheads?
I dont know do you? :p

Ok, let me reword it.
When I charge by the hour, I just work normal, and do my job.( I never rip off my customer's are anyone else. If any thing I give away my work way to cheap!)
If I charge by the job, I will bust @ss, and work as fast as I want, and take a break, when I want.
Ive made $100 a hour hoeing weeds out of flower beds, more that once. I could have weed wacked and sprayed the beds for $200. But if the customer wants them clean, and is willing to pay $600, and I finish in 6 hours, because I hoed and raked for 6 hours, getting blisters, and a sore back, I deserve the $600.
But if I where to charge $40 a hour, Theres no way I would finish in 6 hour. for $240- Its called motavation.

troblandscape

11-01-2003, 12:30 AM

wows

mower_babe

11-01-2003, 12:36 AM

Trob, ok, let me say it then---hmmm..."motavation", huh? :rolleyes:

LMMAO-(laughing my "motavated" azz off.)

So, at $100.00 for unskilled labor, you are undercharging your customers? Whooaaa-hold on-let me lift my feet, because I don't have my boots on and it is getting deep in here.:D ~ F.O.S.

troblandscape

11-01-2003, 12:39 AM

kowows

justmjc

11-01-2003, 12:46 AM

If I let someone charge me $100/hour to pull weeds, I'd let them shoot me and take my wallet. How much are doctors making per hour? That's coming pretty close isn't it? You must be the most experienced and professional weed puller in the world or I must be the most ignorant.

Ryan Lightning

11-01-2003, 12:53 AM

I can pull weeds with 2 hands, 1 foot, and my teeth.

Rustic Goat

11-01-2003, 12:56 AM

Originally posted by Ryan Lightning I can pull weeds with 2 hands, 1 foot, and my teeth.
Can we get a picture of that, esp if it's all at the same time?:D

troblandscape

11-01-2003, 12:56 AM

Ryan is way off, please excuse him it is Halloween:alien:

mower_babe

11-01-2003, 01:03 AM

Originally posted by Ryan Lightning
I can pull weeds with 2 hands, 1 foot, and my teeth.

So, do you prorate it to be $25 per foot, per hand and your teeth collectively will be billed, not per tooth. So if you only use one foot, and two hands, because your mouth is too busy talking crap, then you would only charge the customer $75.00,instead of the standard $100. WOW that is a deal. :cool:

I am Me

11-01-2003, 10:19 PM

Mower Babe -

Play nice or you'll get a spanking...

Remind me to never get on your bad side.

Whoa!

mower_babe

11-01-2003, 11:02 PM

"I am me"- don't tempt me;) :angel:

Seriously, I don't mean to come off as a beotch. And if you feel that way, I am sorry in my delivery. I just really feel it is a disservice to this site and all of its members when we have people misrepresenting themselves and underestimating everyone's intelligence by feeding us lines of crap.

Sorry and I thank you, "I am me", for pulling the reins in. I can be a mouthy little cuss sometimes. I will zip it before I get the boot. :blob2:

I am Me

11-02-2003, 09:06 AM

MB-

I like a woman who shows some spirit.

Actually I agree with everything that you have said. I just had to give you a ration of shift. ;)

Good job!

gramps

11-02-2003, 09:14 AM

Send them dues to me. I'll be your union

4-Leaf

11-02-2003, 09:25 AM

Originally posted by reconthree

To bad there cannot be a union to set prices.

LOL -- This guy sounds like the old CEO at Enron. Hey, recon -- you ever hear of the SHERMAN ANTI-TRUST ACT???

mower_babe

11-02-2003, 11:25 AM

Ok, so a union is a bit too controversial, but maybe he is on the right track. I have heard of legitimate LCOs forming an organization in cities to band together - basically to set the standard and to keep each other aware of prob accounts to protect each other. Also, to carry that membership name helps to make the scrubs look even less desirable to a potential customer. Just a thought.